Known for his stage-like effects, use of perspective, and polygonal, oval, and circular floorplans, Jules Hardouin-Mansart was an architect who emphasized the relationship between interiors and building façades. His work is regarded as the purest expression of the architecture at the time of the Sun King. As architect to Louis XIV, Hardouin-Mansart, who completed the palace of Versailles and designed its chapel, had a profound influence on French architecture during the latter half of the 17th century.
He also designed his own Parisian residence just a stone’s throw from Place de Bastille. Originally a sprawling private home, today it houses the Hôtel de Sagonne. But even centuries later, and despite some major renovations, the history and atmosphere of those times are still tangible.
With a touch of contemporary style, this history has been revived through an interior design project by Australian studio Wood Marsh, which has created a new and elegant apartment in the hotel. To comply with stringent heritage protection regulations, the studio developed a project that strikes a balance between historical architectural elements and contemporary comfort, preserving and respecting, rather than imitating, the elements still present from the original residence. This dialogue between past and present extends to the artworks on display, from the apartment owner’s vast collection from around the world, and the various digital devices in the rooms.
An interplay of colors
Most of the rooms feature combinations of light and pastel tones, in particular white and beige, which create a welcoming atmosphere. This palette continues in the main living room, with sofas and armchairs in the same delicate shades. Likewise, in the kitchen and one of the bedrooms, the colors contrast with dark furnishings, which stand out against the white background. The kitchen, in particular, makes a bold statement, with its black Marquina marble creating a decisive, sophisticated personality. It’s even sculpture-like, with its clear geometries and symmetries prominent, while its details and built-in appliances fade into the background.
Both for its brighter salmon tones and central location within the apartment’s layout, the main dining room is the centerpiece of the home. Above the large dining table is a striking chandelier designed by Nathalie Ziegler Pasqua, which embraces and reflects the tone of the entire room. The architects paid particular attention to the master bedroom, designing the entire layout of the home around it and creating a small study with soft tones. All this allows for complete privacy. Like a centerpiece, the bed occupies the middle of the room, leading the way towards the en suite bathroom with its fine marble finishes.
Dubbed Paris Apartment, the home embodies a respect for tradition in its ongoing dialogue between Paris’s history and local and overseas contemporaneity.
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The interior design of the apartment strikes a balance between restoring key architectural elements of historical significance and removing later additions.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The original elements are preserved with respect.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. A white colour scheme evokes a warm and soft atmosphere in most rooms, including the formal living space, which is accented with organic sofas and bold pastel artwork
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The use of new timber floorboards unifies the apartment by eliminating clashing floor finishes and level changes from earlier periods.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The client’s extensive collection of Australian and International art is showcased throughout the apartment, including digital pieces displayed on monitors.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. Above the dining room table hangs a custom chandelier by Nathalie Ziegler Pasqua, which enhances the grandeur of the room and complements the overall aesthetic.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The formal dining space serves as the heart of the home, with the foyer, kitchen, and living room branching off from it.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The salmon hue used in the space was drawn from the baroque grotesque forms framed in the mouldings, accentuating the panels.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. he concealed detailing and integrated appliances result in a geometric sculptural feel that emphasises a central and symmetrical niche.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. European furniture complements the art collection, adding to the overall aesthetic of the space.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. Expressing a bold and contemporary statement, the kitchen is imbued in black timber and nero marquina marble.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The study, painted charcoal with charcoal furnishings, provides a momentary pause in the transition between the formal living room and the master bedroom.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The expansive master bedroom situates the bed as a central monolithic element that divides the space.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. The visual intimacy of the dark space, provides a level of privacy to the master bedroom and acts as an informal lounge area.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. Paris Apartment is a respectful and complementing dialogue between the contemporary elements and faithfully restored heritage features throughout the home.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. By combining the past of Paris with the present of Parisian and Australian architecture, the space is a harmonious balance of history and modernity.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
Paris Apartment, Wood Marsh. Located within the 4th arrondissement of Paris, near the Place de Bastille, Paris Apartment is situated in the prominent baroque Hotel de Sagonne.
© Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh
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Location: Paris, France
Interior design: Wood Marsh
Client: Private
Completion: 2023
Area: 200 m2
Photography by Tommaso Sartori, courtesy of Wood Marsh